Button or the like sewing machine



June 1-2, 1934. R. LYONS 1,962,903

BUTTON OR THE LIKE SEWING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l r-l IE! 4 E a is? Erik) June 12, 1934. R. L, LYONS BUTTON OR THE LIKE SEWING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gill/717111171 W wlulv June 12, 1934.

R. LYONS 1,962,903

BUTTON OR THE LIKE SEWING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m Lag/111g J5Z7IIIIIII 1 /Z ww aax 'll glliila ti-F1111!!! ZZOQ 7 20367;? l yoiaw W' M My??? June 12, 1934. R, L, LYONS 1,962,903

BUTTON OR THE LIKE SEWING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STA Oneobject of this invention, therefore,

TES PATENTOFFICE 1,962,903 BUTTON on THE LIKE SEWING MACHINE Robert L. Lyons, Waltham, Mass., assignor to American Button Sewing Machine Co., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 25, 1932, Serial No. 601,118

12 Claims. (01. 112-252) ficulty heretofore in properly holding the starting end of the thread.

is to provide simple and dependable means for so doing and by the use of which a neat appearance of the threads on the back face of the work may be obtained.

In machines of this type also it has been usual practice to form a knotting stitch on the final needle stroke and then to break the thread by raising the button clamp. The place of the break is thus not closely determined so that a relatively long thread end may be left, or it may be so short as to endanger the security of the knot. Where the thread is strong it may even be difficult to breakit in t his manner and this difficulty may be greatly increased when more than one needle thread is employed.

A further object of this invention,

is to provide a construction whereby the thread orthreads are cut at the end.of a stitching operation and wherein a portion of thesame mechanism used for cutting the thread or threads at the end of the stitching operation acts to hold'the out ends which become the starting ends in the succeeding sewing operation.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, together with further objects and advantages, reference may be had to the'accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation partly broken away of a two needle button sewing machine embodying the subject matter of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective of cooperating actuating parts. Figure 3 is a'fragmentary top plan of the work table and, related parts in the sewing position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail of the knife and thread clamp element.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the parts in the position immediately after the cutting of the sewing threads and until after the start of the next succeeding sewing operation.

Figures 6 and '1 are fragmentary views partly in side elevation and partly incentral section showing the relative positions of certain of the parts corresponding to tively;

Figures 8 to 13 are tr Figures 5 and 3, respecansverse sections through therefore,

the lower portion of the machine at the button,

showing successive steps in the cycle of operations.

Figures 14 and 15 are diagrammatic perspectives showing the parts related as in Figures 8 and 10, respectively.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary plan of theback face of the work showing the threads by which a button is secured thereto.

Figure 1'? isa section to a larger to a portion of Figure '7 and showing the clamping of the starting thread ends. 1

Figure 18 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the machine base.

Figure 19 ;is a bottom plan of the outer end portions of the base.

Figure 20 is a section on Referring first more particularly to Figures 1, 18 and 19, the sewing machine comprises a base portion 1 having a post 2 upstanding from one end provided with alforwardly extending sewing arm 3 having ahead .4 at its forward end within which is mounted for vertical reciprocation a line 20-20 of Figure needle bar 5. At the lower end of the needle bar is shown a holder 6 for a'pair of needles 7, these needles being spaced in accordance with the spacing of two pairs of holes of a four hole button as shown, for example, in Figures 14 and 15. The needle bar 5 is reciprocated in time with the other sewing instrumentalities in any suitable or' usual scale similar manner as is well known in the art. 'The work tableor base 1 carries on its upper face at its forward end a throat plate 10 having spaced throat slots 11 for the passage of the needles and movable on this throat plate is a cloth plate 12. The outer end of this cloth plate is mounted for lateral motioniacross the upper face of thethroat plate and as shown this is provided for by pivoting the cloth plate as on the pivot screw 13 to the upper face of the work table in a well understood manner. I

The cloth plate also carries a button clamp which according to usual practice is pivotally mounted thereon so that its forward end can be raised from the work against which it normally engages during a sewing operation. This button clamp 14 may be of any suitable construction and is shown as provided with a pair of spaced jaws 15 between which a button shown at 16 in Figures 8 to 13 may be held. The cloth plate and the button clamp as shown are arranged to be moved laterally of the needle path between successive stitching operations in a well known manner and the follower portion 52 impinging on adjustable tending from the needle one end as at 21 to the cloth plate and its other end is adjustably secured to an arcuate rocker arm 22 fixed to the upper end of a rock shaft 23. This rock shaft extends down into the base 1 and is rocked in time with the reciprocation of the needle bar through a cam 24, shown in Figure 1, with which cooperates a follower 25 on an arm 26 secured to the lower end of the rock shaft 23, the cam being driven through suitable'gearing at 27 from the shaft 28. By adjustment of the position of the end of the link 20 in the arm 22, the amplitude of motion of the cloth plate and button clamp can be adjusted to suit the spacing of the holes in the button. The button clamp may be raised at the endof the stitching operation in order to facilitate freeing the work and inserting a button to be attached in the clamp. To this end the forward portion of the button clamp may have a chain 30 fixed thereto, the upper end of this chain being attached to an arm 31 fixed to a rock shaft 32 which may be rocked when desired as by pressing a treadle (not shown). This treadle may be attached through a chain 33 to a collar 34 adjustably secured as by a set screw 35 to a rod 36 engaging an arm 37 also fixed to the rock shaft 32.

As shown best in Figure 18 the shaft 28 is provided with a cam 40 having a face cam groove 41 and an edge cam groove 42. In the groove 41 rides a follower 44 on a rocker arm 45 secured to a rock shaft 46, and to this rock shaft 46 are secured the two oscillatory loopers 47 to take the loops of thread from the needles 7.

In order to hold the loops engaged by the loopers in the needle paths regardless of the lateral position of the cloth plate and the button clamp, a thread finger 50 may be used. This thread finger as shown best in Figure 19 is provided with a thread-engaging portion 51 and a camfollower portion 52. This finger is fulcrumed at 53 on a plate 54 slidablelongitudinally of the work table on its under side. It is so moved by a cam follower 55 secured to its rear end which engages in the cam groove 42.

The portion 51 of the thread finger is moved laterally in opposite directions in suitable timed relation to the other sewing instrumentalities by abutments 56 and 57 secured to the under side of the work table 58 as the plate 54 is moved. These abutments are shown as eccentric so that by adjusting their angular position and then securing them, the timing of the lateral motion of-the finger portion 51 may be properly regulated. This mechanism for insuring proper cooperation between the needles and the loopers forms a portion of the subject matter of my application Serial No. 517,223, filed February 20, 1931 for Sewing machine and is not claimed per se herein.

Between the cloth plate and the throat plate is positioned a combined thread cutter and clamping element 60. At its rear end portion it extends out laterally from between these two plates as at 61 where it may be adjustably secured to an element 62 guided for rectilinear motion on the top of the work table as by slots 63 therein through which are passed screws 64 fixed in the work table. The forward extremity of the element 60 is provided with a sharpened cutting blade portion 70, which when the plate is moved outwardly, to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 and in Figure 14 passes across the needle path and acts to cut the threads exto the loopers. When in this forwardly projected position a slot 71 of this 'clamp. To this end a lever 75 is shown as pivoted at 76 to the top faceof the machine base and is connected to the element 62 by a pin and slot connection at 77. It is normally held with the element 62 in its retracted position and with the element 60 retracted from the needle path by means of the spring 78 secured at one end thereto and at the other end to a screw 79 secured tothe frame portion 2. The outer end of the lever 75 is bifurcated as at 80 and carries a cam follower roll 81 between the forks. When the rod 36 is depressed to raise the button clamp a cam element 82 secured to the rod 36 and having a curved rear edge face 83 is brought downwardly against the follower 81 and rocks the outer end of this lever rearwardly and projects the element 62 and the element 60 forwardly into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 and in Figure" 14, this action serving to cut the stitching threads so that the work is released from the sewing instrumentalities.

This element 60 is provided at one edge with an upstanding latch element 85 which when it approaches its forward limit of motion rides beneath an. upwardly inclined lug 86 projecting laterally from the side of the cloth plate 12 within a notch 87 therein. This cloth plate is sufficiently resilient to permit the latch element 85 to pass beneath the cooperating latch element 86 but as soon as it passes this element 86 the cloth 'plate springs down so as to bring its latch ele- On thesubsequent retraction of the needle bar 1 the needles are withdrawn and the cloth plate and button clamp are moved laterally to present the other set of holes in the button into the needle path. This lateral motion of the cloth plate, however, moves the latch element 86 laterally from the latch element 85, thus freeing the element 60, which is immediately retracted :by the action of the spring 78. This as shown best in Figure 15 draws back the threads extending through the cloth plate and the throat plate and clamps the starting end portions of the thread therebetween against the lower face of the cloth plate and the upper face of the throat plate. This clamping is thus below the top face of the cloth plate whereon the work is supported. This sequence of operation is also shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10, in Figure 10 the button and the work having been moved laterally. The next pass of the needles is through the other holes in the button. Then the button clamp and cloth plate are returned to their first position so as to present the first holes into the needle path. The needles are thus passed alternately through the button holes until the end of the sewing operation, thus sewing the button to the work by chain stitches as shown best in Figures 11 and 12, the thread finger co-acting with the loopers to hold .the thread loops on the loopers in position for the needles to pass therethrough regardless of the lateral position of the button. At the end of the stitching cycle it is customary to pass the needle twice through the same hole, thus to produce a knotting stroke, whereupon the machine automatically stops. Then as the button clamp is raised the thread cutting element 60 is projected forwardly as previously described, cutting the threads as shown in Figure 13. 4 I

It will be noted that the portion of the throat plate between the slots 11 (see Figures 15 and 1'1) holds the starting thread end of the forward set of stitches up when the element 60 is'retracted so that this starting thread end is caught beneath the threads of the rear set of stitches on 'the back face of the work, as is shown in Figure 16, the button being fixed to the work by two independent sets of stitches, each passing through a pair of holes in the button and through the work, the two sets lying in parallel relation on the back face of the work.

It should be understood, of course,'that where a two-hole button isused but a single needle and looper would be necessary, but where two sewing threads are used it is more difllciilt to detach the work from the sewing instrumentalities by breaking the thread so that the use of the thread cutter is even more desirable than in the case of a single needle machine.

From the foregoing description of an embodiment of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a button sewing machine, a work support, a button clamp normally resting on work on said support, sewing instrumentalities for fixing a button held by said clamp to work on said support, means for raising said clamp from the work, thread cutting and thread clamping means, and means actuated on the raising of said clamp at the end of a sewing operation to actuate said cutting means to cut the sewing thread and thus to release the work and to condition the clamping means for a subsequent thread clamping action. 1

2. In a button sewing machine, a work support, a button clamp normally resting on work on said support, sewing instrumentalities for fixing a button held by said clamp to work on said support, means for raising said clamp from the work, thread cutting and thread clamping means, means actuated on the raising of said clamp at the end of a sewing operation to actuate said cutting means'to cut the sewing thread and thus to release the work and to condition the clamping means for a subsequent thread clamping action, and means acting after the initiation of the subsequent stitching operation to actuate said clamping means to clamp the starting thread end.

3. In a button sewing machine, a throat plate, a cloth plate above said throat plate, a button clamp above said cloth plate, sewing instrumentalities for sewing a button in said button clamp to work on said cloth plate, an, element movable between said plates and having a cutting portion and a thread clamping portion, means actuable 3 'at the end of a sewing operation to raise said button clamp and move saidelement in one direction to cut the thread, and means acting after the start of a subsequent stitching operation to return said element and cause said clamping por tion to clamp the starting end of the thread.

4'. In a sewing machine, a work holder, sewing instrumentalities, an element having thread cutting and thread clamping portions, means actuable at the end of a sewing operation to project said element tocut the sewing thread,

yielding means tending to retract said element,

latch means for retaining said element in pro-,

jected position, and means acting after the start of a subsequent stitching operation to release saidlatch means and to permit said element to be retracted and to clamp the starting thread end.

5. Ina button sewing machine, a throat plate, a cloth plate movable laterally relative to said throat plate, a button clamp movable with said cloth plate, sewing instrumentalities including a reciprocable needle, means for moving said clotlv plate and clamp laterallly in opposite directions between successive needle strokes to present each of a pair of holes in a button carried by said clamp into the needle path, an element having cutting and thread clamping portions, means actuable at the end of a sewing operation to project said element to cut the thread, spring means for retracting said element, and cooperating latch portions on said element and cloth plate for retaining said element projected, said latch portions being releasable on the next lateral movement of said cloth plate after the start of the subsequent stitching operation, retraction of said element then acting to clamp the starting thread end.

6. In a button sewing machine, a throat plate, a cloth plate movable laterally relative to said throat plate, a button clamp movable with said cloth plate, sewing instrumentalitiesincluding a reciprocable needle, means for moving said cloth plate and clamp laterally in opposite directions between successive needle strokes topresen't each of a pair of holes in a button carried by said clamp into the needle path, an element be-, tween said plates having cutting and thread clamping portions, means actuable at the end of a sewing operation to project said element to mentalities including a pair of sewing needles and cooperating thread engaging members, and means for relatively moving said instrumentalities and holding means during a stitching operation to secure the button to the work by two sets of independent, stitches, each set passing through a pair of holes in the button and with the starting thread end of one of said sets of stitches held by stitches of the other set.

8. In a button sewing machine, means for holding a four hole button and work in position to secure the button to the work, sewing instrumentalities including a pair of sewing needles and cooperating thread engaging me bers, andmeans for relatively moving said ins rumentalities and holding means during a stitching operation to secure the button to the work by two sets of independent stitches, each set passing through a pair of holes in the button and with the starting thread end of one of said sets of stitches engaged between the work and stitches of the other set.

9. In a button sewing machine, a throat plate having a pair of slots therein, sewing instrumentalities including a pair of needles spaced to pass through said slots, means for holding a four hole button and work in position to sew the button to the Work, means to relatively vibrate said holding means and needles laterally of the needle path between successive sewing strokes to cause each needleto pass alternately through each hole of a pair in the button, and means acting after the start of a sewing operation to draw the starting thread ends laterally of said slots with one of said ends across said throat plate between said slots in position to be engaged between the work and the stitches of the other needle thread. 7

10. In a sewing machine of the class described, a throat plate, a cloth plate above said throat plate, sewing instrumentalities including a needle reciprocable through said plates, and means for clamping the starting thread end from the needle against the upper face of said throat plate and below the top face of said cloth plate.

11. Ina sewing machine of the class described, a throat plate, a cloth plate above said throat plate, sewing instrumentalities including a needle reciprocable through said plates, and means for clamping the starting thread end against the lower face of said cloth plate.

12. In a sewing machine of the class described, a throat plate, a cloth plate above said throat plate, sewing instrumentalities including a needle reciprocable through said plates, and means for clamping the starting thread end against the lower face of said cloth plate and the upper face of said throat plate.

ROBERT L. LYONS. 

